About

Dr. Sheilagh Maguiness is a double board certified Pediatric Dermatologist and the Division Director for Pediatric Dermatology at the University of Minnesota. She has clinical and research interests in vascular birthmarks and is the Director of the UMMCH multidisciplinary Vascular Anomalies Clinic. Dr. Maguiness is a national leader in Pediatric Dermatology, serving as President of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. Her focus on education has made her a sought after speaker in the field. She is routinely recognized for her outstanding clinical care in Pediatric Dermatology as a Top Doctor in Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and Minnesota Monthly Magazine annually since 2015, and has been named Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2022.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Dermatology
• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Immunology
• Surgery
• Environmental health
• Intensive care medicine
• Family medicine
• Medical emergency
• Radiology
• Virology
• Anesthesia
• Oncology
• Genetics
• Biology

Selected publications

• Identifying Gaps in the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric DRESS Syndrome

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2026-03-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Dupilumab Treatment in DRESS: A Case Series

  Journal of Investigative Dermatology · 2026-03-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Commentary on Nurturing Youth: Ethical Considerations in Pediatric Skincare Marketing

  Pediatric Dermatology · 2025-07-01

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Those who interact closely with teens, tweens, and even younger children have surely witnessed the rapid rise in popularity related to skincare in this population. This new obsession has been coined the “Sephora Kid” trend, where young children engage in complex, multistep skincare regimens, spurred on by influencers on social media. However, the increasing use of skincare products poses real physical dangers to young people, and the impact of unrealistic beauty ideals and social pressures are mounting. Social media has dramatically increased opportunities for comparison outside of one's peer group. Highly edited, unrealistic pictures of peers and stealth advertising on the social media feeds of young people has distorted reality and challenged self-esteem. In this issue, Madhumita and Ponnarasu [1] describe the unethical marketing practices underpinning the state of the beauty industry, which profits from this vulnerable demographic without regard for the long-term impacts. It is critical that pediatric dermatologists and others who care for the next generation understand the challenges facing young people in the beauty space and advocate for change. The presence of potentially harmful ingredients in children's products has been well-described, including contact allergens and irritants which disrupt sensitive skin barriers [2, 3]. This is not to mention the risk of chemical burns and even scarring from exposure to harsh active ingredients meant for mature skin. Companies capitalize on parental concerns, utilizing ill-defined claims such as “all natural” or “clean” [2]. Products are sometimes compromised to be marketed to younger age groups, such as a popular, fragrance-free emollient which adds fragrance to its “baby” formulation. Worldwide, skin-lightening products have serious implications for young people, both socially and physically with exposure to dangerous chemicals. Though such products are less widely used in the United States, antiaging products containing strong active ingredients are marketed irresponsibly with brightly colored, youthful packaging and fruity scents. There is simply no regulation surrounding claims or marketing in the health, wellness, and beauty industry in the United States, and this must change. As pediatric dermatologists, it is critical that we understand the ethics behind marketing practices, as eloquently outlined by Madhumita and Ponnarasu [1], but it is also very important for us to understand the current state of cosmetic regulations. Until recently, cosmetics lacked formal regulation in the United States, and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had no legal ability to recall unsafe products. In 2022, the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act 2022 (MoCRA) was signed into law. This is an important piece of legislation meant to increase FDA oversight in the cosmetic industry [4]. Under MoCRA, the FDA may obtain records related to cosmetic products and enact mandatory product recalls when safety is in question. This act will also require adverse event reporting to the FDA, facility registration, and safety substantiation. Further, the FDA will establish new regulations for good manufacturing practice, fragrance allergen labeling requirements, and testing procedures for identifying talc in products [4]. Though slow to roll out, companies were required to be in compliance with new registration and listing requirements by July 1, 2024. The current absence of regulation surrounding skincare ingredients in the United States, where only 11 chemicals are banned compared with over 1600 in the EU, as well as claims, labeling and marketing creates a big challenge for consumers. In the case of the pediatric population, how will parents and caregivers know what is appropriate for their 10-year-old to be using on their skin? Our hope is that we will see more regulatory oversight on product labels, including information on intended use and ages. Comprehensive labeling of fragrance allergens, including botanical ingredients, would also be a welcome change. A tween's rising enthusiasm for taking care of their skin and establishing healthy hygiene habits early should be applauded—but the skincare routine itself should be safe, simple, and cost-effective. Those in positions to advocate for young people must do so to protect children, promote positive beauty standards, and limit social and financial pressures. Beauty and skincare should be fun and age-appropriate, and pediatric dermatologists are in the unique position to ensure this is the case. In the end, it comes down to this: increased regulation and protections within the health, wellness, and beauty industry are long overdue. Dr. Maguiness is on the Advisory Board of Regeneron and is co-founder of Stryke Club. Dr. Brumley has no conflicts of interest to declare. The authors have nothing to report.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Adult experience in a comprehensive vascular anomalies clinic

  Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2025-04-06 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Multifocal Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma Successfully Treated With Sirolimus Monotherapy

  UNC Libraries · 2025-08-28

  articleOpen access

  Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare vascular tumor that typically presents in infancy and may be associated with the Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP). We present a challenging case of multifocal KHE on the leg of an infant, initially suspected at birth to be a reticulate port wine birthmark. Skin biopsy and imaging supported the rare diagnosis of multifocal KHE. Complicated by KMP, he was started on sirolimus monotherapy with significant improvement in his widespread disease.

  PublisherDOI

• Congenital Melanocytic Nevus with Neurocristic Cutaneous Hamartoma: A Case Report

  Dermatopathology · 2025-04-10 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are benign tumors present at birth or arising in the first few months of life. A small subset of these nevi present with mild atypical features and heterogeneous differentiation, including Schwannian differentiation. We present a case of a 3-week-old with a 7 cm red/purple scalp nodule consistent with CMN with mild atypical heterogeneous areas. On histology, there were dermal nests of spindle cells in a fibrillar matrix, with increased vessels and clusters of small round melanocytes interspersed between collagen bundles and around adnexal structures. The lesion also exhibited rare pagetoid ascent of melanocytes as single cells and nests. Overall, these features were consistent with a CMN with nodular proliferative neurocristic cutaneous hamartoma (NCH) with a component of a compound mild atypical melanocytic proliferation. Next generation sequencing (NGS) identified a novel SH2B1::BRAF fusion. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of heterogeneous differentiation within CMN in young children.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Scrolling for Solutions: Social Media Use Among Caregivers in Pediatric Dermatology

  Pediatric Dermatology · 2025-11-30

  articleOpen access

  Social media are increasingly being used as a source of health information. We conducted an online, anonymous survey to learn how caregivers are interacting with social media and how this may impact their child's dermatologic care. There were 136 participants who started the survey and 97 who completed it (71.3% completion rate). The most common skin conditions participants sought information for were atopic dermatitis, 48% (47); acne, 40% (39); and dry skin care, 35% (34). Our results also found that participants of lower socioeconomic status use social media for skin care management more often (p < 0.01), highlighting the importance of providing reliable content on social media.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Multifocal Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma Successfully Treated With Sirolimus Monotherapy

  Pediatric Dermatology · 2025-08-17 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare vascular tumor that typically presents in infancy and may be associated with the Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP). We present a challenging case of multifocal KHE on the leg of an infant, initially suspected at birth to be a reticulate port wine birthmark. Skin biopsy and imaging supported the rare diagnosis of multifocal KHE. Complicated by KMP, he was started on sirolimus monotherapy with significant improvement in his widespread disease.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Oral propranolol and its impact on vital signs in hospitalized pediatric patients for the Management of Infantile Hemangiomas

  Pediatric Dermatology · 2025-02-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Infantile hemangiomas (IH) affect 2%-10% of the pediatric population. The current standard treatment for complicated IH is oral propranolol. Propranolol initiation protocols vary depending on institution and may occur in an inpatient setting for patients <5-week-corrected-age, with a history of premature birth, and or with low weight to allow for heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and glucose monitoring. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to determine the clinical outcomes of monitoring inpatient propranolol initiation and to evaluate if complications occurred during admission. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients seen at the University of Minnesota Department of Dermatology between January 01, 2012 and July 31, 2022 was completed. Inclusion criteria include less than 1 year of age at time of admission, a diagnosis of IH and or PHACE syndrome, and admission for propranolol initiation and monitoring. RESULTS: Admissions for 78 pediatric patients were reviewed. After initiation of propranolol, significant decreases in BP (systolic p = .005; diastolic p = .002) and HR (p = .004) were noted; however, average BPs and HRs remained above the lower limit of normal. No patients experienced symptomatic hypoglycemia. No statistically significant or clinically meaningful differences in vital sign alterations were observed between patients <5 versus >5 kg; preterm vs term gestation; or <5-week-corrected-age versus >5-week-corrected-age. DISCUSSION: Our findings complement current literature confirming that propranolol initiation is safe in pediatric patients. Propranolol initiation likely requires less laboratory and vital sign monitoring than currently performed for these patient populations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Use of dupilumab in eczematous eruptions following hematopoietic cell transplantation

  JAAD Case Reports · 2025-08-18

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Melissa Dodds

  University of Wisconsin–Madison

  40 shared

• Christopher L. Moertel

  University of Minnesota

  38 shared

• Nathan Rubin

  University of Minnesota

  37 shared

• Claire Wong

  Northern Sydney Local Health District

  36 shared

• Scott R. Plotkin

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  36 shared

• Yemima Berman

  Royal North Shore Hospital

  36 shared

• Christina Boull

  University of Minnesota

  18 shared

• Ilona J. Frieden

  University of California, San Francisco

  15 shared

Awards & honors

• Top Doctor in Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine (annually since…
• Minnesota Monthly Magazine (annually since 2015)
• Castle Connolly Top Doctor (since 2022)
• President of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology